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Brooksyne
Weber
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Thursday,
April 25, 2024
"Antisemitism"
Message
summary:
"God chose
Israel, so
that through
Israel He
might bring
Jesus Christ
to the whole
world".
Listen
to our message
on your audio
player.
"And
I will make of
you a great
nation, and I
will bless you
and make your
name great, so
that you will
be a blessing.
I will bless
those who
bless you, and
him who
dishonors you
I will curse,
and in you all
the families
of the earth
shall be
blessed"
(Genesis
12:2,3).
Today
I will be
speaking to a
men's group
then heading
over to the
Old Windmill
Farm where
Brooksyne and
I will assist
Jesse and Anna
on what they
expect to be a
very busy day.
Several times
each year
hundreds of
Jews will
converge upon
the farm
during their
festivals, in
this case
during
Passover. The
orthodox Jews,
especially
from Brooklyn,
New York and
Lakewood, New
Jersey, love
coming to the
farm.*
Anna
told me I
could help out
by driving the
team that
pulls the hay
wagon but I
still need
some more
training on
parking!
The
last time the
Jews had a
major
convergence on
the farm was
during Succot
in early
October. In
fact I was at
the farm
October 4th
just three
days before
the hamas
terrorist
attack in
Israel. Since
that time
there has been
a heightened
expression of
antisemitism
as we are
seeing now in
many of our
country's
centers of
indoctrination
(AKA colleges
and
universities
starting with
those deemed
most "elite").
We
hope the
Jewish guests
find a source
of peace and
feel the
genuine
welcome that
the Lapps
provide
visitors at
the farm but
in a much
greater sense
we pray they
find the true
source of
peace in Jesus
Christ, the
Messiah.
The
ancient, yet
ongoing peril
of
antisemitism
(hostility to
or prejudice
against Jewish
people) is all
through the
Bible, notably
Pharaoh's
attempts at
extinction and
Haman's. And
all though
history, most
notably the
holocaust, a
people with a
relatively
tiny
percentage of
the world's
population
have always
faced a vastly
disproportionate
amount of hate
and scorn.
J. Dwight Pentecost was a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary and wrote a popular book on eschatology (the study of end times) titled, "Things to Come". I recall hearing a quote of his, probably while in Bible College, in which he asserted that one of the most remarkable evidences of the Scripture's authority is the survival of the Jews as a distinct people. I am sure it's worded more profoundly than that but I can't seem to find it in writing. Perhaps a good internet sleuth could help me!
The spiritual root of antisemitism is scorn of the promise to Abraham, "And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Genesis 12:2,3).
Of course antisemitism has also occurred through the church age by some who call themselves Christians and some probably still do, asserting the Jews killed Jesus. This is rooted in a very faulty view of redemption and the purpose for the death of Christ who came to earth to die for our sins. "This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross" (Acts 2:23). “He (God) made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
J. Dwight Pentecost was a professor at Dallas Theological Seminary and wrote a popular book on eschatology (the study of end times) titled, "Things to Come". I recall hearing a quote of his, probably while in Bible College, in which he asserted that one of the most remarkable evidences of the Scripture's authority is the survival of the Jews as a distinct people. I am sure it's worded more profoundly than that but I can't seem to find it in writing. Perhaps a good internet sleuth could help me!
The spiritual root of antisemitism is scorn of the promise to Abraham, "And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Genesis 12:2,3).
Of course antisemitism has also occurred through the church age by some who call themselves Christians and some probably still do, asserting the Jews killed Jesus. This is rooted in a very faulty view of redemption and the purpose for the death of Christ who came to earth to die for our sins. "This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross" (Acts 2:23). “He (God) made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
In
our mission
service this
last Sunday a
missionary
used the slide
that is at the
top of our
message today.
"God chose
Israel, so
that through
Israel He
might bring
Jesus Christ
to the whole
world".
An article on
antisemtism on
the teaching
website
gotquestions.org
asserts and I
agree,
"The
truth is that
the world
hates the Jews
because the
world hates
God. The Jews
were God’s
firstborn, His
chosen people
(Deuteronomy
14:2). Through
the Jewish
patriarchs,
the prophets,
and the
temple, God
used the Jews
to bring forth
His Word, the
Law, and
morality to a
world of sin.
He sent forth
His son, Jesus
the Christ, in
a Jewish body
to redeem the
world of sin.
Satan, the
prince of the
earth (John
14:30;
Ephesians
2:2), has
poisoned the
minds of men
with his
hatred of the
Jews".
Be
encouraged
today,
Hebrews
3:13
Stephen
&
Brooksyne
Weber
Daily prayer:
Father,
today we pray
for the peace
of Jerusalem
and the entire
country of
Israel. We
pray for peace
in the Middle
East and in
our world. We
pray that many
will this day
receive the
Prince of
Peace, Jesus,
as their
Messiah.
For when the
roll is called
up yonder we
will see those
from every
tribe and
nation, all
peoples and
languages,
standing
together as
one united in
the name of
Christ
shouting out
with a loud
voice,
“Salvation
belongs to our
God who sits
on the throne,
and to the
Lamb!
Blessing and
glory and
wisdom and
thanksgiving
and honor and
power and
might be to
our God
forever and
ever! Amen."Revelation
7
*
Note: I
spoke to Jesse
late yesterday
afternoon and
he said
normally they
get lots of
calls prior to
these Jewish
festival days
but this year
they have had
hardly any.
With all the
antisemitism I
can understand
why they would
fear getting
out. I'll
report
tomorrow how
the turnout
was.
Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental
Resources
Note:
This message
cannot cover
all the
nuances of
course. Have
Jews
mistreated
other people
in history and
modern times?
Of course,
what people
group has not
in some way.
In responding
to the
terrorist
attack is the
war being
engaged in
flawlessly?
Likely not. An
enemy as
dastardly as
they face who
use tunnels
and place
civilians at
or near
military sites
will
inevitably
lead to deadly
consequences
and collateral
damage much
more than
conventional
war. The
charge that
they are
committing
genocide is
ludicrous. If
they wanted to
do that they
could do so
very quickly.
Actually in
light of what
they are
enduring their
resttaint is
pretty
remarkable.
"A
Lesson From
Succot"
Message with
photos about
my visit to
the Old
Windmill Farm
last October
4.
What
is the cause
of all the
anti-Semitism
in the world?
(from
gotquestions.org)
What
is
antisemitism
and what is
the true
spiritual
origin of
anti-Semitism?
- Podcast
Episode 181
(from
gotquestions.org)
What is
antisemitism?
Why has there
been so much
anti-Semitism
throughout
world history?
What is the
true spiritual
cause of
antisemitism?
WETA,
the PBS
station in the
greater
Washington DC
area, just
presented a
"Get Out Of
Town" travel
show about
Lancaster
County,
including a
segment about
the Old
Windmill Farm.
Brooksyne and
Ester was
invited to the
farm that day
to be part of
the guests. To
watch click on
the photo
above or here.
The Old
Windmill Farm
segment starts
at 11:50 and
last about 4
minutes. It
features a
mother and
daughter but
you may see a
few glimpses
of Brooksyne.
(It's as
famous as she
has ever
been!) Also
note they
included
a
portion of a
prayer prayed
by Jesse
before they
dug into the
homemade
butter and
bread.
The
very old: On
Tuesday we
passed this
old truck
parked in
front of an
Amish
greenhouse.
The
very new: At
Tractor Supply
I saw the
first Tesla
truck I have
seen in our
area.
Finally,
a regular view
we enjoy in
our area, an
Amish farmer
preparing his
field for
planting.
There were a
lot of birds
flying
overhead!
Finally
today: I
am teaching
our Crossroads
adult ABF
(Sunday
School) class
this Sunday
and will use
some of the
material from
today's
message. I
find a
consideration
of the
relative size
of Israel in
both
population and
land mass
interesting in
light of its
newsworthiness
and influence.
Since I am
speaking to a
local group I
also reduce
the world to
the size of
our county to
help visualize
just how
small.
The
Middle East
region
represents an
area of over
5.0 million
square miles.
Vast deserts
are common in
the region.
Yet Israel has
just 8,630
square miles
or a minuscule
0.1726%
of the land
area of the
Middle East.
The
total land
area on earth
is 57,268,900
square miles
So Israel has
just
0.015069260977599%
of the land
area in the
world.
To
visualize
locally:
Lancaster
County has 944
sq mi land
area. .015% of
that is 0.1416
sq mile or
89.6 acres, a
small to
medium sized
farm
(according to
my friend Ken
Pierce).
According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, the Israeli Jewish population stood at 7,181,000 people in 2023, comprising 73% percent of the total population of Israel (if the Arab populations in East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights are included).
According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, the Israeli Jewish population stood at 7,181,000 people in 2023, comprising 73% percent of the total population of Israel (if the Arab populations in East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights are included).
The
Middle East is
comprised of
17 countries
with a
population of
371 million.
So Israeli
Jews comprise
just
1.9355795148248%
of the
population in
the entire
Middle East.
The
world's
population is
at 8.1
billion. Thus
Israeli Jews
make up just
0.088654320987654%
of people in
the world.
To visualize locally: Lancaster County has a population of 550,000. .088% of 550,000 is just 484, the size of a small village.
To visualize locally: Lancaster County has a population of 550,000. .088% of 550,000 is just 484, the size of a small village.
Note:
In case you're
wondering I
didn't figure
these
percentages
out in my
head! I
used these: calculator
and this
one
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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